Please Help! Why is my sully diging a hole?

[SANDRA_MEISSNEST]

hello please help me I found my tort digging a hole.
here are some pictures. everyone told me I have 2 males what's going on please advice
Sent from my ZTE N9120 using TortForum mobile app

 

[EricIvins]

I've told you from the start that you have at least one Female. Your Tortoise is digging a burrow. Welcome to owning a Sulcata....

 

[SANDRA_MEISSNEST]

holy cow what should I do now please tell me what should I do

Sent from my ZTE N9120 using TortForum mobile app

---

it's going to rain soon what am I supposed to do cover her up what should I do

Sent from my ZTE N9120 using TortForum mobile app

 

[EricIvins]

Don't do anything. The animal is digging a burrow. If it finds the substrate suitable, you'll have a 10ft tunnel going down at a 30 degree angle complete with a chamber at the end. If the animal is big enough, you can probably slide down in it if you wanted to...

 

[SANDRA_MEISSNEST]

is it safe for her to dig that deep?
I just put a sun unbrella up so that the rain won't disturb her

Sent from my ZTE N9120 using TortForum mobile app

---

why do they do that

Sent from my ZTE N9120 using TortForum mobile app

---

and why is she digging it with her back feet

Sent from my ZTE N9120 using TortForum mobile app

 

[Jacqui]

Don't do anything. The animal is digging a burrow. If it finds the substrate suitable, you'll have a 10ft tunnel going down at a 30 degree angle complete with a chamber at the end. If the animal is big enough, you can probably slide down in it if you wanted to...

Thanks Eric! Now I have this visual of us all sliding down the burrows going "whee!!!".

---

Sooo your wanting her/him to burrow?

 

[SANDRA_MEISSNEST]

does males do that as well?
does she lay eggs in there?

Sent from my ZTE N9120 using TortForum mobile app

 

[Jacqui]

does males do that as well?
does she lay eggs in there?

Sent from my ZTE N9120 using TortForum mobile app

Burrow digging can be either sex. No, eggs are laid in a nest not in the burrow except for accidental type expelled eggs by females unhappy with nest possibilities may lay them on the surface, down in a burrow, any where they happen to be.

 

[Levi the Leopard]

From what I understand, both males and females will dig burrows.

Digging a burrow is irrelevant to egg laying in this species.

Eric has said you have 1:1, many others say you have 2 males.
But this burrow does not confirm that the digger is in fact female.

You'll note I do not own sulcata. Their burrow habits are the reason why... If only the girl would dig I'd have considered a male. But it isn't a gender thing.

Heather
Sent from my Android TFO app

 

[SANDRA_MEISSNEST]

no I don't want you to burrow because this is dangerous what should I do...
is there any possibility that she lays eggs

Sent from my ZTE N9120 using TortForum mobile app

 

[tortoise007]

Every type of tortoise digs a burrow, male or female... It's TOTALLY normal, but I will say sulcatas are the best of diggers and everything ericivan said is totally right.
Does the tortoise have any spots for shade other than an umbrella?

 

[SANDRA_MEISSNEST]

you mean in the enclosure yes in the enclosure there's lots of shade because there are palm trees and the little houses everywhere so but she picked the hole right were the Sun hits it

Sent from my ZTE N9120 using TortForum mobile app

 

[tortoise007]

Have you built her any burrows? Are the little house like dog houses or what?

 

[SANDRA_MEISSNEST]

so should I let it dig?
I'm scared that it going to collapse because the soil is very sandy here

Sent from my ZTE N9120 using TortForum mobile app

 

[wellington]

If you don't want her to burrow, fill it in and cover it with something so she can't dig there again. She may stop or she may go find another suitable place to burrow. If you keep filling them in and covering them, it may stop her. Then again, it may not.

 

[SANDRA_MEISSNEST]

well do you think it is safe?

Sent from my ZTE N9120 using TortForum mobile app

---

I think she gonna hit on many roots..lol

Sent from my ZTE N9120 using TortForum mobile app

 

[wellington]

It is safe for a tort to burrow, it's a natural thing for them. However, you do have to make sure that it can't get flooded. I would guess most don't let them burrow because of the damage it does to the yard or any surrounding buildings. Also, there is always a danger of collapse. If they burrow too deep, they can go far down, then it's harder to keep an eye on them and their health, etc. it also may be nerve racking if they don't come out for a few days.

---

You might want to just keep an eye on her for now to make sure she is t trying to lay. If it is then determined she isn't, then fill it in if you want.

 

[SANDRA_MEISSNEST]

how long does it usually take if she would lay eggs

Sent from my ZTE N9120 using TortForum mobile app

---

are we even in the season?


Sent from my ZTE N9120 using TortForum mobile app

 

[Tom]

everyone told me I have 2 males what's going on please advice

No. Everyone did NOT tell you that. Please go back and re-read your thread.

Your tortoise is likely digging a burrow to escape the summer heat. They do not like to be hot and would much rather sit out the hot days underground, away from the sun, where it is cooler.

This is one of the traits that some people consider a drawback to owning sulcatas. If you don't like it, you can pull the tortoise out of the hole, fill it back in, and put some plywood, pavers or cinder blocks in that area for a couple of weeks. If it is still too hot above ground and your tortoise cannot cool off, it will simply start to dig some where else.

Natural burrows can be dangerous for 4 main reasons. Collapse, flooding, too cold in our North American winters, and no access to the tortoise should you need it. There are safe man made ways to do it though, and most of the time they are fine if they do it themselves, but you've gotta catch them above ground and fill it all in, or cover the hole, before winter sets in.

 

[SANDRA_MEISSNEST]

okay I will fill it back in let's say if she would lay eggs how long should I wait to fill it back in?

Sent from my ZTE N9120 using TortForum mobile app

---

should I put her back in her house tonight or leave her outside what should I do

Sent from my ZTE N9120 using TortForum mobile app

---

she or he even has a little pool in the enclosure.... can't they just cool off like that, by taking a bath

Sent from my ZTE N9120 using TortForum mobile app

---

one more thing it's been not that hot lately here in Florida and we had much hoter days and he/she never did before.
why start now.

Sent from my ZTE N9120 using TortForum mobile app

---

should I give us some watermelon and see if she would move out of the hole

Sent from my ZTE N9120 using TortForum mobile app